


Not the Only Doctor: A Second Chance Prequel

by writewithurheart



Series: A Second Chance [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Chicago Med Crossover, Episode 1x06, F/M, Tommy is in med school, prequel to A Second Chance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:21:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28269042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writewithurheart/pseuds/writewithurheart
Summary: Set during 1x06. Prequel to the Arrow/Chicago Med CrossoverTommy is a surgical intern and throwing a fundraising gala for CNRI to win over Laurel. He finds himself a bit irked that the great Carter Bowen is getting all the attention.
Relationships: Laurel Lance/Tommy Merlyn, Tommy Merlyn & Thea Queen
Series: A Second Chance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070942
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Not the Only Doctor: A Second Chance Prequel

**Author's Note:**

> Doing an Arrow rewatch while thinking about my Chicago Med/Arrow crossover and spent most of 1x06 chuckling, so I had to write it. In case anyone is interested. Enjoy!

**Not the Only Doctor: A Second Chance Prequel**

Possibly the most infuriating thing about Carter Bowen - aside from his perfect hair and his perfect life - is that he’s managed to do everything Tommy set out to do and has done it better. Which is only reinforced by the fact that he’s the one dancing with Laurel at the benefit that Tommy set up specifically to win her heart.

“Did you know that as a doctor I was able to diagnose myself as a giant tool?” 

Tommy finds himself wondering if, as a surgical intern himself, he can diagnose Carter Bowen. Because he’s spent a good part of the last couple days avoiding the neurosurgeon when he visited Starling City General Hospital. In the medical circuit, Bowen isn’t nearly as revered as the Starling elite would think, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a respected neurosurgeon. 

Before his thoughts can drag him down a rabbit hole of what Laurel might think if he actually shared that he was training to be a surgeon, There’s an arm flung over his shoulder and a none-too-sober Thea getting up in his space with a slightly slurred: 

“How about a dance, handsome?” 

It’s only because she’s basically his little sister that he sees it. Since Oliver’s return, he’s been trying to be a better friend, which includes looking out for Thea in a way he failed to do in the last five years. 

He immediately sets aside his glass and self pity to get a better look at her. “I thought that we agreed that you were going to call me  _ before _ you did something stupid.” 

“You’re no fun. I’m gonna show you how to have some fun.” 

He sees what happens before she can move and pulls away. Try as he might, it’s hard to let her down easily as she’s trying to hit on him. Despite his cavellier comment to Oliver about Thea being hot, he’s really not attracted to her. He gets her outside before she can throw up all over the wait staff and slips his jacket around her then she leans against the wall. 

He’s cursing his own responsible attitude that’s left him literally out in the cold, looking after Thea, when Laurel sticks her head outside. He makes some comment about crab cakes that no one would ever accept as an actual excuse, and expects Laurel to wander back into the fundraiser and Dr. Carter Bowen. 

“Tommy, I’m gonna let you in on a little known secret about Carter Bowen: the man is a gigantic ass.” 

He snorts, falling a little more in love with Laurel knowing that she can see through the man’s bullshit. 

“And the only reason I danced with him is because he wrote a massive check to CNRI. Why would you think anything else?” 

His heart skips a beat and he can only answer with complete honesty: “When it comes to you, I guess I don’t tend to think straight.” Carter Bowen has always been better than him in academically. He was second to Oliver in everything else. He’s never had anyone pick him, and so it’s surprising that Laurel’s here, smiling at him like that. 

“Can one of you call me a cab?” 

He starts. He hates to leave this moment, but Thea needs someone to help ground her. He might have rejected her advances tonight but he knows a ride home in a cab won’t help. “Absolutely not.” Laurel will understand. She’s got donors to smooze anyway. “I am taking you home. Get in.” 

“I apologize for making such a scene,” Thea croaks.

“Just feel better, okay?” Laurel says with a smile. He meets her eyes as he closes the door and the warmth in Laurel’s eyes hasn’t changed. “Hey Tommy, I owe you a dance.”

“Yeah?” His voice is maybe too hopeful. Typical Tommy Merlyn wouldn’t be leaving a party to take care of his best friend’s sister. He wouldn’t be leaving the girl he was trying to woo to dance with someone else and somehow this is working. It feels right. Who knew he was doing everything wrong before?

“You earned it.” She leans forward to press a kiss against his cheek and Tommy feels like a teenager again, getting attention from his crush for the first time. He feels like a new man, and he doesn’t hate that feeling. He kind of loves it. 

Tommy watches her walk away before sliding into the driver’s seat of the car, oddly content with the turn this evening has taken.

“Please don’t hate me.” Thea looks at him with those pitiful doe eyes she learned to weaponize from a young age. 

“I couldn’t hate you, Thea,” he murmurs back. He knows what it’s like to make drunken love confessions and he’s not about to throw it in her face, now or ever. 

Halfway through the drive, when he’s sure Thea is asleep, she suddenly announces. “Carter Bowen’s got nothing on you. You know that, right?” 

He smiles at her. “You sure about that? He’s a doctor.” 

“You could be too, you know. But that’s not why. You left your party to bring me home. That makes you a good one. Laurel knows that.” Her drunken slur has slipped into sleepy mumbles. 

Maybe that’s why he feels he can confess something to her. “I am, you know. A doctor.” 

She makes an affirmative noise that could mean she’s asleep, but it feels good to get it off his chest. 

“I’m interning at the hospital. I’m going to be a surgeon. Not a neurosurgeon. I’m thinking Cardio. I’m good enough to get into some great programs, but with Oliver coming home it just made sense to come back here. Plus, there’s Laurel. And you.” He looks over as he turns into the Queen’s driveway and smiles as he finds Thea asleep. “I’m glad I did.” Even if it puts him back under his father’s thumb. 

Once Thea is safely ushered into the mansion and off to bed, Tommy glances back at his phone and runs a tired hand over his face. There’s an event coordinator at the CNRI gala so he doesn’t have to get back quickly, but he does have another shift at the hospital that starts in six hours. He’s already going to need scores of caffeine to get through tomorrow. 

He sighs, but once he can take over his mother’s clinic, it’ll be worth it. He shifts his car into drive and heads home to get some rest. After all, he’s doing this for his mother. There is no other option.


End file.
